What Are The Marines Doing In Southern Afghanistan

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael W. Hagee, Commandant of the Marines Corps, awards the Purple Heart to a Marine in Asadabad, Afghanistan, Sept. 26, 2005. The Commandant and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps visited with Marines here to thank them for their service and recognize their contributions to the fight on terrorism. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Marine Sgt. Christopher Tirado

What’s Next In Afghanistan -- Marine Times

Deploying Marines should expect more winter combat as they work to maintain stability

It hasn’t been easy for 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.

Deployed to Afghanistan since March, the battalion has fought off ambushes in lawless areas of Afghan wilderness, traveled bomb-laden roads and experienced more casualties than any other unit in the Corps this year.

As 2/7’s deployment winds down, however, Marine officials say the unit has made progress in bringing stability to eight districts in Helmand and Farah provinces, two of volatile southern Afghanistan’s most dangerous areas. It has trained more than 800 Afghan police officers and launched a variety of outreach efforts, planning schools, roads and irrigation systems.

“As the regions across which 2/7 operated differed vastly, there is no solution or project which will work across the board,” said Lt. Col. Richard Hall, 2/7’s commander. “The most important thing we could do was listen to what the people needed and wanted.”

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